News from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

NYU and College Advising Corps Continue Partnership to Promote College Access in NYC High Schools

Last year, a group of New York City high schools saw a 42 percent increase in the number of financial aid forms their high school seniors completed, and an 18 percent increase in the number of students who didn’t just apply to college, but also ended up enrolling in the fall of 2015.

The College Advising Corps and its partner sites, including NYU, aim to increase the number of low-income, underrepresented, and first-generation college students who enter and complete higher education. NYU places recent college graduates as full-time college advisers in high-need New York City high schools to help students through all steps of the college application process.

Through a new three-year agreement, the College Advising Corps is recommitting to its partnership with NYU, its only partner serving New York State.

“The College Advising Corps provides the opportunity for students to gain access to a world of postsecondary education that has historically been beyond the reach of low-income students due to deeply-engrained systemic challenges at play in New York City and across the country,” said Alisha Ali, who leads NYU College Advising Corps and is an associate professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt.

Advisers – who undergo intensive training – provide the guidance and encouragement that many students need as they journey through the complex web of college admissions and secure financial aid.

“From navigating college admissions to assisting students and their families with financial aid and scholarships, our advisers become experts, mentors, and student advocates,” said Aileen Moner, program director of NYU College Advising Corps. “Our advisers’ goal is to help their students make their college applications as strong as possible.”

Advisers also work closely with school staff and administration to foster a college-going culture within the schools they serve.

“Counselors, especially in urban schools, are often stretched very thin. In addition, not all school counselors are specifically trained in college access, but that’s where our advisers can come in to partner with staff in supporting students throughout the process,” said Moner.

Bronx Leadership Academy II Adviser Christie Logroño

NYU has been part of the College Advising Corps since 2011. The program has grown from 12 advisers in 12 New York City schools during the 2011-12 school year to currently having 24 advisers in 21 partner schools. The new funding will sustain the program at 24 advisers for the next three years.

“We are honored and excited to continue the vibrant partnership with NYU and our school partners in the City. Together, we are increasing opportunity for students and building a pipeline to produce the strong and diverse workforce needed for the future,” said Nicole Hurd, founder and CEO of College Advising Corps.